It has been another uneven year for national and international cheese competitions. While some, such as the American Cheese Society Competition, were cancelled, others did go forward, and one new contest, the New York International Cheese Competition, made its debut. Still others are scheduled to take place after this issue goes to press, including the World Cheese Awards in early November in Oviedo, Spain, where culture editor-in-chief Susan Sherrill Axelrod will be among the judges.
Congratulations to the winners, and kudos to all the cheesemakers who continue to strive for excellence every day in this demanding and difficult industry!
SOFI AWARDS
Specialty Food Association | May 2021
Cow’s Milk Cheese:
- Gold: Organic Clabbered Cottage Cheese | Cowgirl Creamery | Petaluma, CA
- Silver: Whole Milk Basket Ricotta | BellwetherFarms | Petaluma, CA
- New Product: Dorothy’s Diggin’ Truffles Brie | Savencia Cheese | New Holland, PA
Non Cow’s Milk/Mixed Milk Cheese:
- Gold: Artikaas Youngsters Goat Gouda | Dutch Cheese Masters Corp. | Holland
- Silver: Soignon Plain Whipped Goat Cheese | Norseland | France
- New Product: Fog Lights | Cypress Grove | Arcata, CA
Other Dairy:
- Gold: Sea Salt Cultured Butter | Vermont Creamery | Websterville, VT
- Silver: Crème Fraîche | Bellwether Farms |Petaluma, CA
- New Product: Butter Craft Provisions Black Truffle Butter | M.A.D. Foods | New York, NY
GOOD FOOD AWARDS
Good Food Foundation | January 2021
North:
- Cloud Cap | Cascadia Creamery | Trout Lake, WA
- Smoky Scamorza; Fontina | Ferndale Farmstead | Ferndale, WA
- Vache | Samish Bay Cheese | Bow, WA
South:
- Ramp Brebis; Magnolia; Singing Brook | Blackberry Farm | Walland, TN
East:
- Pressed Herbed Ricotta | Crooked Face Creamery | Skowhegan, ME
- Ashbrook | Spring Brook Farm Cheese | Reading, VT
- Mt. Alice | von Trapp Farmstead | Waitsfield, VT
West:
- Mt. Tam | Cowgirl Creamery | Petaluma, CA
- Creamy Brie | Laura Chenel | Sonoma, CA
- Atika | Tomales Farmstead Creamery | Petaluma, CA
Central:
- Pelota Roja; Fleur de la Prairie | Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery | Champaign, IL
- Milkweed | Tulip Tree Creamery | Indianapolis, IN
- North Fork Whiskey Washed Munster | Redhead Creamery | Brooten, MN
NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL CHEESE COMPETITION
International Beverage Competitions Group | July 2021
GOLD MEDAL WINNERS
Alpine Washed-Rind Aged Less Than 12 Months, Cow’s Milk
- Üsi Minnie | Columbia Cheese | Switzerland
- Saxony Alpine Style | Saxon Creamery | Malone, WI
Aged Cheese, Flavored
- Blumenkäse | Mifroma | Switzerland
Young Gouda, Cow’s Milk
- Old Farmdal | Columbia Cheese | Belgium
Soft-Ripened Bloomy-Rind, Cow’s Milk
- St. Stephen | Four Fat Fowl |Stephentown, NY
- Harbison | Jasper Hill Farm | Greensboro, VT
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS, USA
- Massachusetts Creamery of the Year: The Grey Barn and Farm
- New York Cow’s Milk Creamery of the Year: Four Fat Fowl
- New York Sheep’s Milk Creamery of the Year: Nettle Meadow Farm and Artisan Cheese
- Oregon Creamery of the Year: Rogue Creamery
- Oregon Cheddar Creamery of the Year: Face Rock Creamery
- Vermont Creamery of the Year: Jasper Hill Farm
- Vermont Cheddar Creamery of the Year: Vermont Farmstead Cheese Co.
- Wisconsin Creamery of the Year: LaClare Family Creamery
- USA Cheese Importer of the Year: Murray’s Cheese
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